Stave-bending machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. DETERS. STAVE BENDING MACHINE.

No. 555,566. Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

Q Wfizesses UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

JOSEPH DETERS, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

STAVE-BENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,566, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed August 24, 1893. Serial No. 484,002. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH DETERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson, State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stave-Bending Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In the manufacture of barrels, casks, kegs, &c., it is desirable and important that the staves of which the vessels are composed and which are bent into a curved form shall all be of similar curve and contour, so that the exteriors of the staves when they are assembled to form the vessel shall be flush with each other along their edges and produce a vessel of even exterior.

It is the object of this invention to provide a means for bending the staves individually and all to the same curve or contour, to perform this work rapidly and efiectively and with such power that thick and heavy staves can be operated upon, and to retain the staves in their bent condition until they have become set in their new form.

To this end my invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In order to make my improvements more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the invention into practical effect, without intending to limit it in its various applications to the particular construction which, for the purpose of illustration, I have delineated.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of a stave-bending machine, or of so much thereof as is necessary to an understanding of the invention embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, a portion being broken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a front view of one of the stave-bending devices and formers. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a stave-holder and hook for holding it in its bent position.

It will be understood that in the drawings the stave-bending devices are not shown at all points of the actuating-chains; but sufficient of said devices are shown to clearly explain the nature of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a main supporting-frame, the side 2 of which is preferably made adjustable toward or from the side 3 and on the base 4, to which latter the side 2 may be firmly secured in the adjusted position by bolts 5, the heads of which fit in T-grooves 7 formed in the base and which pass through flanges 6 on said adjustable side.

8 and 9 are shafts mounted in the frame provided with sprocket-wheels 10 and extending through the frame side 2 a sufficient dis tance to permit of the latters adjustment, as already described. The sprockets next to the side 2 are adjustable therewith and may be loosely connected with the side to facilitate adjustment by means of clips 11, secured to the side and engaging grooves 12 in the outer hubs of the sprockets.

13 indicates chains, one at each side of the machine, mounted on the sprocket-wheels and constituting an endless carrier for the stave holders and forms. The latter are strong and rigid, of approximately the length of the staves to be operated on, and are of a concave shape on their upper or outer faces corresponding with the convex contour to be given to the staves. They are shown at 14 and are loosely connected or pivoted, by bolts 15 and slots 16, to hinged brackets 17. The latter are connected by transverse elastic bottom pieces 18, adapted to be forced into the forms and to assume the curve thereof, and are hinged by bolts 19 to the inner ends of transverse slides 20, mounted in mortises 21 formed through certain of the links 22 of the chains 13. On the outer ends of the slides are mounted antifriction-rollers 23, opposite to and outside of which are guides 24, secured by bolts 25 to the main frame and laterally adjustable on the same. The guides have flaring ends 26, between which the rollers 23 are adapted to enter as the carrier-chains operate, and are inclined toward each other, thereby causing the slides 20 and brackets 17 to be forced inward toward each other as the stave holders and forms advance between the guides. To produce this movement of the chains one of the shafts El and 9 may be driven by any suitable mechanism or power.

Rubber cushions may be interposed between the elastic plates 18 and the forms, it. desired, as indicated at 27", to allow for slight variations in the mechanism and slaves and prevent too great; rigidity in the machine.

The staves are lirst titted in holders :38, of elastic metal, the ends of which are adapted. to be connected, when the stave has been bent, by hooks 20. The holders with the staves therein are then placed successively in the forms, on the plates lt and bet ween the brackets 17, just before they enter between the guides 2t, and as they reach the ot her end of the machine, with the staves eonmressed and bent and before they leave the guides, the hooks are applied to the holders. its the forms emerge from the guides, the slides and brackets are permitted to be forced outward by the resilience of the plates l and the holders are thereby relesmed and may be removcd containing the bent staves, which are left in this condition until set. Before the staves are operated upon they are properly softened or relaxed, as by a steaming process. For the purpose of co-operating with the guides 2i in accurately and similarly bending the staves, I have provided a series of pressers which operate upon the upper or outer faces of the staves and force them into the forms. Without the use of said pressers, which compel the stoves to bend uniforn'lly, the staves will bend at the weakest or least rigid point, which will be in different places in different staves and produce one curve in one stave and another curve in another st ave, resulting in an irregularity in the walls of the vessel, as already described; but by the improvement now about to be described such dittieulty is obviated. 3 and 31 are transverse shafts mounted in aframe The latter can be adjusted in place by bolts 3-), so as to be central between the chains 13. indicates sprocket-wheels on said shafts, can rying chains 35, certain of the links of which are connected by and preferably formed with rigid transverse bars 1.36. In the latter are formed vertical hearings, in which slide one or more, preferably three, rods 37. On the outer ends of said rods or sets of rods are socured prcssers 38. When three rods are used, as in the construction illustrated, the pressers are made each in three sections 235), All, and t1, the sections 39 and 41 being attached to the outer rods, and the section. i to the middle rod. The bottom oi. the whole presser thus formed is convex and of that contour which is to be imparted to the interior of the stave. To bring the stave to. the desired shape it is preferable to apply the pressure first at the quarters of the stave between the middle and the ends. The sections 32) andv -t1 are therefore first forced downward. This is effected by a longitudinal plate or guide 42,

mounted above the lower limb of the chaincarrier, on which the pressers are mounted and supported by the frame 32. The under face of this guide is slightly inclined downward toward the middle of the machine and engaged by antifrictioil-rollers 4-1;, which are attached to the inner ends of the rods. The quarters of the stave having been thus bout the middle section it) of the presser is then forced down by a portion of the guide +12, which is inclined at a slightly less angle than the ortions which force down the outer sections. In order to permit a movement of the oute'l sections relative to the inner section the connection between them is loose, consisting of a bolt passing through cars on the middle section and through a vertically-slotted car on. the outer section.

The endless carrier for the pressers formed by the parts above described is actuated in the same direction and at the same speed as the carrier for the forms by any suitable power.

\r'hcn it is desired to change the machine for astave of different lengthsay a longer stave the forms and brackets are detached from the slides 20, the side 2, sprockets nextto it, and the chain 13 which .runs on the lattor, as well as one of the guides 24-, are adjusted. outward and a longer set of terms pivoted to the slides by the bolts 19 are substituted. If the new length of stave to be up crated on is less, and varies only a littlc say two inehcs from the length for which the machine is adjusted, the frame and other parts need not be moved, but in. lieu thereof I insert in the ends of the formers, next to the brackets 17, blocks 46, Fig. 4, each an inch wide, and employ holders 28, two inches shorter.

i7 is a guide which keeps up the presscrs at the feed end of the machine until. they are over and ready to be forced down. on the staves, and is a guide or track which serves to hold the prcssers out as they rise at the delivery end of the machine and carry them over the sprocket-wheel shaft 30.

if) indicates rollers which sustain the middle oi. the upper limb of the presser-carrier.

When the machine is widened for a longer stave, as above described, I prefer to sub stitute for the outer presscrsections 30 4:1 longer sections of a somewhat longer curve.

llavin g thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a stave-bending machine the combination ot. a carrier, parts or slides inwardly movable toward each other on or in. said carrier, means forholding the stave between said inward]y-movable parts or slides, guides for moving the latter to bend the stave, and a presser for operating on the face of the stave, substantially as set forth.

2. In a stave-bending machine the combination of a carrier, parts or slides inwardly movable toward each other on or in said carrier, formers attached to said slides and adapted to receive the staves, means for moving the slides inward to bend the stave and a presser for operating on the face of the stave, substantially as set forth.

3. In a stave-bending machine the combination of endless chains, means for supporting and actuating the same, slides mounted on said chains, brackets pivoted on the slides and connected by flexible plates, forms sup ported by said chains, and means for forcing the slides inward, substantially as set forth.

4. In a stave-bending machine the combination of a carrier, means for holding the staves carried thereby, compressing devices thereon for forcing toward each other the ends of the staves, a series of traveling pressers accompanying said carrier for engaging the faces of the staves, and means for forcing the pressers against the staves, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of an endless carrier, means for holding the staves carried thereby, compressing devices acting longitudinally of the staves against the ends thereof, a second endless carrier, pressers carried thereby opposite the stave-holders, and means for actuating the pressers, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a carrier, parts or slides movable on the same, means for holding the stave between said slides, guides for moving the latter to bend the stave, a series of movable pressers traveling with the carrier, and means for forcing the pressers against the staves, substantially as set forth.

'7. In a stave-bending machine the combination with a stave-holder, of an endless carrier having a presser for bending the stave formed in sections, and a stationary cam or track for separately actuating the sections combined with means for pressing inward the ends of the staves, substantially as set forth.

8. In a stave-bending machine the combination with a frame, of transverse shafts, sprocket-wheels mounted on the shaft and longitudinally adjustable thereon, endless chains on said wheels, and forms and holding devices for the staves detachably connected with the chains, substantially as set forth.

9. In a stave-bending machine the combination of a carrier, compressing devices thereon for forcing toward each other by end pressure the ends of the stave to bend the latter, a presser traveling with the said carrier, and means for forcing the presser against the face of the stave.

10. The herein-described method of bendin g staves which consists in first applying pressure to and bending the stave at its quarters and forcing toward each other by end pressure the ends of the stave, and then while the stave is so held applying bending and forming pressure to the middle of the stave between the quarters, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH DETERS. \Vitnesses GEo. M. CRAWFORD, TEMPLE BonLnY. 

